Major Indian Languages

Here is a list of those Indian languages spoken by more than a million
people. English is spoken as a second language by more than ten million
Indians.
The highlighted links lead to documents on this server. These
documents list resources available on the net on the language. Some of
these resources are common to all Indian languages; they are also
listed seperately.

20,000,000 in India (1951 census); 540,000 in Nepal (1993 Johnstone);
20,316,950 in all countries. Bihar, Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh,
Kanpur, Delhi. Awadhi is the standard for literature. There is
considerable epic literature. "Kosali" is a name used for
the Eastern Hindi group. Caribbean Hindi is related to Awadhi.

67,200,000 in India (1994 IMA); 100,000,000 in Bangladesh (1994 UBS);
70,000 in United Arab Emirates (1986); 600 in Singapore; 189,000,000
in all countries (1995 WA). West Bengal and neighboring states.
State language of West Bengal. Bengali script.

2,095,280, including 2,005,000 Dogri (1994 IMA), 90,279 Kangri (1994
IMA). The home area is in the outer hills and strip of plain
in Jammu and Kashmir between the Ravi and Chenab Rivers. Central
states from north to south; West Bengal, Chandigarh, Himachal Pradesh
(Kangra and Hamirpur districts). Urdu (middle aged and older), Hindi
(school, shops, cities), and Punjabi (shops) are spoken as additional
languages for certain purposes. Radio programs.

13,000,000 or 85% of Haryan population of 16,000,000 (1992 SIL),
including 102,348 Haryanvi proper (1994 IMA); 154,340 Mewati (1994 IMA).
Haryana, Punjab, Karnataka, Delhi, Himachal Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh.
"Bangru" now used for speakers in Jind area.
"Khadar" is used by speakers in Jind to refer to the speech
of Rohtak and Sonepat. "Bagdi" is the variety used around
Fatehabad and Sirsa, and south of Bhiwani (distinct from the Wagdi
language in southern Rajasthan). Intelligibility among dialects is
good, but not intelligible with Hindi, the closest language. Speakers
of all ages. Hindi is used as second language; some bilingual ability
in all social groups for education and contact with non-Haryanvi
speakers.

1,026,000 in India (1994 IMA); 444,000 in Singhbhum, Devanagari script
area; 203,000 in Orissa, Oriya script area (1990 UBS). Mainly in
Singhbhum District of Bihar, and Mayurbhanj and Koenjhar districts of
Orissa. Also in West Bengal and Bangladesh. Language use is vigorous
in home and community in most areas. Oriya, Santali, and Hindi
are used in limited domains. Grammar, dictionary. "Kherwari"
(Khanwar, Kharar, Kharoali, Kharwari) is a group name for Ho, Mundari,
and Santhali, which are closely related languages, and some other
smaller languages or dialects. Distinct from Ho (Hani) of Myanmar,
China, Vietnam, Laos.

4,161,000 in India (1994 IMA); 105,000 in Pakistan (1993); 115,000
in United Kingdom (1991); 4,381,000 in all countries. Jammu and
Kashmir (52.29% of the population), Punjab, Uttar Pradesh, Delhi,
Kashmir Valley. Literature can be traced to the 1400's, and poetry
is important. Persian-based script. Not used in primary education.
Urdu and English are used as second languages.

2,000,000 in all countries (1977 Voegelin and Voegelin); 3,900 in
Kenya (1987). Southern coastal strip of Maharashtra, primarily in
the districts of Ratnagari and Goa; also Karnataka and Kerala. Also
in United Arab Emirates. Daldi and Chitapavani are transitional
dialects between Goanese and Standard Konkani.

22,000,000 in India including Dahati (1981); 2,260,000 in Nepal (1993);
24,260,000 in all countries. Bihar, Delhi, Orissa, Madhya Pradesh,
Maharashtra, West Bengal. There is a Maithili Academy. Dictionary.

33,667,000 in India (1994 IMA); 300,000 in United Arab Emirates
(1986); 37,000 in Malaysia; 10,000 in Singapore (1987); 313 in Fiji;
34,014,000 in all countries. Kerala, Laccadive Islands, and neighboring
states. Also in United Kingdom, Bahrain, Qatar. State language of
Kerala. Malayalam script.

64,783,000 (1994 IMA). Maharashtra and adjacent states. The dialect
situation throughout the greater Marathi speaking area is complex.
Dialects bordering other major language areas share many features with
those languages. See separate entries for dialects or closely related
languages: Konkani, Goanese, Deccan, Varhadi, Nagpuri, Ikrani, Gowlan.
State language of Maharashtra. Devanagari script.

1,467,515 in India (1994 IMA), including 973,000 Mundari, 494,515
Munda; 5,700 in Nepal (1993); 1,473,000 or more in all countries.
Assam, mainly in southern and western parts of Ranchi district in
Bihar. Also in Himachal Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Orissa, Tripura,
West Bengal, Andaman and Nicobar Islands. Also in Bangladesh.
Closely related to Ho and Santali, but a separate language.

30,158,000 in India (1994 IMA); 13,299 in Bangladesh (1961 census);
31,000,000 in all countries. Orissa, Bihar, West Bengal, Assam, Andhra
Pradesh. Some of the larger dialects have many subdialects. State
language of Orissa. Oriya script.

5,675,000 in India (1994 IMA); 100,000 in Bangladesh (1983 UBS);
40,000 in Nepal (1985); 5,800,000 in all countries. Assam, Bihar,
Orissa, Tripura, West Bengal. Also in Bhutan. Closely related to Ho
and Mundari, but a separate language.

58,597,000 in India (1994 IMA); 3,000,000 in Sri Lanka (1993); 250,000
in South Africa; 274,218 in Malaysia (1970 census); 191,200 in
Singapore (1980); 35,000 in Germany; 7,000 in Netherlands; 22,000 in
Mauritius (1993); 6,663 in Fiji; 62,000,000 or more in all countries
first language speakers; 69,000,000 including second language users
(1995 WA). Tamil Nadu and neighboring states. Also in Bahrain, Qatar,
Reunion, Thailand, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom.
State language of Tamil Nadu. Tamil script.

45,773,000 in India (1994 IMA); 8,000,000 in Pakistan (1988); 3,562
in Fiji; 170,000 in South Africa; 30,000 in Oman; 20,000 in Bahrain;
19,950 in Qatar; 16,800 in Germany; 54,000,000 or more in all countries.
Jammu and Kashmir and by Muslims in many parts of India. Also in
Afghanistan, USA. "Dakhini" is freer of Persian and Arabic
loans than Urdu. Both are written in Arabic script. "Rekhta"
is a form of Urdu used in poetry. State language and medium of
instruction in government schools in Jammu and Kashmir.